As many, many people pointed out on social media and elsewhere, it did distract from several issues that Bee was discussing during the segment and became news itself. The host addressed during the cold open of her show, once again apologizing for the remarks and inserting a few jabs at Ted Cruz in the process:

You know, a lot of people were offended and angry I used an epithet to describe the president’s daughter and adviser last week. It is a word I have used on the show many times, hoping to reclaim it. This time I used it as an insult. I crossed the line, I regret it and I do apologize for that.

The problem is, that many women have heard that word at the worst moments of thelr lives. A lot of them don’t want that word reclaimed. They want it gone. And, I don’t blame them.

I don’t want to inflict more pain on them. I want this show to be challenging and I want it to be honest, but I never intended it to hurt anyone, except Ted Cruz.

Many men were also offended by my use of the word. I do not care about that.